1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to elastin-based copolymers for coating an implantable device such as a drug delivery stent or for forming a composition as cell therapy carrier.
2. Description of the Background
Blood vessel occlusions are commonly treated by mechanically enhancing blood flow in the affected vessels, such as by employing a stent. Stents are used not only for mechanical intervention but also as vehicles for providing biological therapy. To effect a controlled delivery of an active agent in stent medication, the stent can be coated with a biocompatible polymeric coating. The biocompatible polymeric coating can function either as a permeable layer or a carrier to allow a controlled delivery of the agent.
The existing polymeric coating on a stent can have different types of limitations. For example, some poly(ester amide) based coatings can have poor mechanical properties so as to compromise coating integrity, and coating based on hydrophobic polymers can have problems in controlling release of a hydrophilic drug.
Therefore, there is a need for new carrier materials for controlled delivery of an agent. There is a further need for coating materials for coating a medical device. There is also a need for polymers such as protein polymers that bioabsorb through a dissolution mechanism which are more vascularly biocompatible than synthetic polymers
The polymer and methods of making the polymer disclosed herein address the above described problems.